The Shadow's Weeping
by Angel's Sins
Summary: Rewritten. Sawada Tsunayoshi is constantly in the shadow of his sister Tomoko who is later announced as the future Vongola Decima. When a certain baby hitman comes to tutor her, life will never be the same again. Tsuna has a frightening ability: perceiving the future death of others. He thought he was rising from the shadows but he just plunges in even deeper. Cover's not mine.
1. Chapter 1

**Edited: 7/18/14**

**Many thanks to my great beta: LDK**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

His steady hand held a delicate brush, skimming over the canvas in a straight, unwavering line. Trailing the hand, a dark green streak coated the previously blank surface. He loved being here, in his workspace. It was his own and no one else's; the others knew to leave him alone when he was there. If they wanted a scenic artist, they either had to let him be or let him go home. Due to his skill, it was usually the former.

The door opened and he glanced up in surprise, immediately tensing. "I'm not...done."

The girl huffed and placed her hands on her hips before sighing. "Can't you just be a little bit less of a perfectionist, Tsunayoshi-kun?"

"I'm almost done," Tsuna said quickly, trying to convey that he wanted to be left alone.

"Well, let me take a look."

"No!" Tsuna shook his head quickly. "It's fine. Here. I - I'll take a picture and send it. Or when I leave you can -"

The girl laughed and waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry, don't worry. I was just messing with you."

"Kasumi-chan!" someone called from the hallway. "Tomoko-san wants you in the meeting room!"

"Okay!" Kasumi said. "I'll be right there."

Sighing in relief, Tsuna went back to painting. Another close interaction avoided. Dabbing his brush in brown paint, the boy returned to painting, brushing it on an unfinished branch.

"I'll see you later then!" Kasumi called, waving as she skipped away. Suddenly, she came back and poked her head through the doorway with a deadpan. "You better finish it. The play is in a week and the stupid jerks need to practice." Returning to her smile as if nothing additional had been uttered, she called out a "Bye-bye!" before stepping out of the room.

Tsuna felt his lips twitch before turning his full attention back to painting, a soothing, almost calm feeling washing over him. He stood up and took a step back, assessing the painting with a critical eye. The trees were tall and slim, yet grand with their majestic height. There were several glowing balls of light, golden and almost shimmering, as they floated in mid-air. Shadows made it all darker in hue, extending from the trees.

He gazed at his creation, taking in the finished trees and golden orbs floating throughout them. The picture seemed to glow under the lights, as if it had a life-force of its own. He smiled as he set the palette and brush down to the side.

After he cleaned it up and placed the paint away back in the closet, he grabbed his bag and moved to leave the school his work room was situated in. On his way out, he glanced back at the room to make sure that his painting was still there, still standing. This lead to him nearly knocking over a vase that was sitting on a dresser blocking his exit. He thanked Kami-sama that he had noticed the vase falling and had caught it in time. If he hadn't, Kasumi would have murdered him.

Breathing a final sigh of relief, Tsuna locked the room and took out his phone, texting Kasumi that it was done.

Tsuna sorted through his bag, finding his book to read while walking. Ignoring the few sneers he was getting, Tsuna subconsciously let his senses guide his path. His body practically moved on its own, avoiding every single person that walked his way, allowing his eyes to remain glued on the page. He let his intuition guide him, something he called a miracle.

He wasn't sure when he developed his ability to sense the things around him, but it was useful. He hopped over a foot that was stuck out in front of him and quickened his pace to leave the auditorium. While he walked, Tsuna was constantly followed by whispers.

"It's Dame-Tsuna."

"Hey, hey, who is he?"

"He's a murderer. I don't know how he managed to stay here. Don't go near him. Something bad will happen to you."

Tsuna slightly flinched at the word "murderer". His grip tightened on his book but he didn't show any other signs of the mental strain their words put on him. He would never cave in. Let them believe what they want. After all, he had tried his hardest to stop what had happened to his classmate. Tsuna hadn't caused the other boy's death; he had tried to prevent it!

Soon, Tsuna sensed the familiar entrance hall. It was, as usual, filled with moans of pain. Unconsciously pulling his bag closer to his side to make himself small, he edged closer and closer to the wall, keeping his eyes on the text in front of him. The current scene was a dramatic reunification of the hero and heroine.

_"Oh, Ken! I knew you'd come back!" Sophia cried, flinging her arms around Ken's tense shoulders. _

Tsuna grimaced and skipped a couple of pages. Why did the teacher pick such a... Contrived book? Oh, yeah. She was a romantic.

Although, this was constituted as romantic? Tsuna wondered to himself, closing the fake-feeling assigned book.

Suddenly, Tsuna sensed some kind of danger. From the corner of his eye, he saw Hibari relax from his fighting stance and cross his arms over his chest. His eyes were sharp and dangerous, though his face was impassive.

"No crowding, herbivores," he said to the trembling students who remained standing.

"We understand!" they all said, bowing with their heads. "Excuse us!"

They dashed out of there (some with a limp) and turned the corner, stumbling over their clumsy feet. Tsuna, moving with the crowd, saw the main entrance door come into view and internally sighed in relief.

_A few steps more and I'm out,_ he thought.

And then, out of pure instinct, he lifted up his book. The novel blocked one of Hibari's tonfas. His eyes widened a bit and he turned around. "H-Hibari-san?"

"Herbivore," he said, "violating school dress code is unacceptable. I'll bite you to death."

"E-eh?"

Tsuna looked down and flushed. Damn it. He hadn't noticed, but this morning he had mistakenly put on jeans. Again. And to think he had avoided the prefect all day.

"I-I'm sorry, Hibari-san!" Tsuna said with a bow as he took a step back. "Please forgive me!"

The prefect stepped forward and Tsuna instinctively threw his book at him before running from the violent prefect. Hibari merely moved his head to the side, but Tsuna was already out the door.

He dodged loitering students quickly and ran all the way home. Track was probably the best thing he ever took in his life.

* * *

><p>Tsuna stared blankly at his notebook. The notes he took in class earlier weren't helping him complete his homework at all. It wasn't that he was stupid, only that Tsuna struggled with… Well, numbers in general. For a second, he thought about going to his sister for help but he shook the thought away and closed the book. He didn't need this in life anyways.<p>

He stood up and walked over to his easel, taking out a piece of charcoal from the holder. His hand moved in long, steady strokes, his mind going elsewhere. He could smell the sea breeze and the light rain before envisioning a cliff, a woman standing on the top. A smile quirked on his lips.

Cliché it may be, what he drew, he still enjoyed it.

"Tsu-kun!" a voice said from behind. "I brought your laundry for you. Oh, and I found your slacks."

Tsuna turned around and nodded. "Thank you, Okaa-san. I'll take it."

He dropped the charcoal but she shook her head with a chuckle. "Your hands," she scolded, noticing the remaining black smudges marring his fingers.

He flushed. "O-Oh...yeah."

His mother smiled as she opened his closet, placing all his clean laundry inside. "How was school today? Is the play going well?"

Tsuna sat down, mumbling a response. "It was… Okay. I finished a few sceneries."

Nana smiled. "Oh, my Tsu-kun is so responsible."

She walked over to give him a hug but he flinched away, his eyes slightly wide. He sidled away from his mother, from physical contact.

Nana stiffened, realization dawning on her features. Sorrow lingered in her eyes before she brightened up, a fake smile on her lips. "Dinner will be ready soon. Do your best, okay?"

She lifted the laundry basket next to her hip and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Tsuna looked down at his hands and clenched them into fists with a light scowl. He hated it. He absolutely hated his fear.

Turning back to his sketch and retrieving the charcoal, Tsuna poured his misery and frustration onto the paper. Suddenly, everything became too much and he threw the drawing across the room. He buried his face into his hands. What did he do to deserve this? What the hell was wrong with him?

Ever since that incident, everything changed. He despised it. Hell, even looking at his mother just made him want to scream.

Why...?

Why...?

_Why...?_ he thought, internally screaming.

His questions, as always, remained unanswered. Only silence, his long-time companion, remained, embracing him tightly and never letting him go.

* * *

><p>"Tomoko-chan!"<p>

Tsuna turned over in his bed and covered his head with his pillow, trying hard to nullify Kasumi's calls. It was too early for this. What day was it? Oh, wait. His sister's friend did this every freaking day.

He heard his sister shuffling through the hallways and heard a faint, "I'll be back at four."

Tsuna rolled over in his bed, about to fall back asleep. Then, something smacked against his window and Tsuna jumped awake, his eyes wide in confusion. He walked over and opened it, peering outside. Kasumi looked up with a grin and a wave, dressed in casual clothing.

"Hehe, sorry about that," she said, scratching the back of her head. "Had to get your attention somehow. Anyway, the forest scene is absolutely gorgeous! You did amazing as always!" she gushed, then turned to his sister who had just joined her outside. "Don't you think so, too, Tomoko-chan?"

His sister was tying her blonde hair into a bun on top of her head. "Don't scream like that. You probably woke everyone up."

Kasumi laughed sheepishly. "Sorry." She waved again at Tsuna. "See ya!"

They both walked away, probably headed to the Main Square. Not that he cared at all. Tsuna shut the window and closed the drapes, diving back into his bed and pulling the covers over his body. He found himself drifting back to sleep before being woken up again by a knock on his door.

"Tsu-kun?" his mother said, her voice muffled. "Are you awake? Can you go out and buy some groceries for me? We're going to have a guest coming over tonight."

It took a few minutes for the brunette to comprehend what she just said. A guest? They never had guests before aside from a few of Tomoko's friends.

"Never mind," his mother said quickly, misinterpreting his delayed response. "I'll go and -"

Tsuna got off the bed and opened the door with a small yawn. "I can go. You don't have to do it."

Nana had prominent circles under her eyes, eyes that somehow sparkled with energy despite her exhaustion. She worked as a waitress at a nearby restaurant for money rather than accept his father's monthly checks. The reason he didn't know, but he had an odd feeling about the whole affair. Whatever his mother's reason for not accepting the check, it was not good.

"You're tired," Tsuna said with a small smile. "I can handle it. The list isn't long, is it?"

Nana still looked uncertain and shook her head. "I can do it, Tsu-kun. I'm sorry for asking. You can go back to sleep."

"It's Saturday, Okaa-san," Tsuna said. "Your only day off. You can go sleep some more. I got this."

Inside, he was terrified at the prospect of going to society. He didn't do well with crowds, or people in general really…

Nana sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "The list isn't long. Be careful, Tsu-kun."

Tsuna nodded, ignoring the doubt that nagged him from the back of his head. "I will."

He strengthened his resolve as he searched for his precious gloves, slipping them on his hands. _For Okaa-san._

* * *

><p>Tsuna managed to avoid contact with all the other shoppers, and quickly bought the items on the list. He had found the items a bit odd, considering parmesan cheese and fettuccini were uncommon to use. Unless, of course, his mother was planning to cook an Italian dish. But why? Shaking his head, Tsuna continued on his path home. Soon, the crowds disappeared once more, and his house came in to view.<p>

Tsuna sighed in relief, until his senses suddenly flared. Someone was coming towards him fast. He quickly moved out of the way but the person grabbed his arm as they flew past, and they both fell to the ground.

"Hahi!" the person said. "Haru is sorry, desu! Are you okay?"

Tsuna couldn't hear her. A shrill silence rang in his ears and he turned to the side, placing his hands over his ears. Then, the silence turned into tires shrieking along the road and a scream piercing the air. Pain exploded all over his body as he felt tremors course through his skull. The intense smell of blood wafted through his nose and, for a moment, he saw himself lying on the road, crimson liquid trailing over the darkened pavement. The vision was extraordinarily strong.

The girl drew back, terrified, but she mustered up her courage. Reaching out to touch the shivering boy's arm, her eyes widened in worry.

"Are you –"she started, worried about this stranger.

"Don't touch me!" Tsuna said, smacking her away weakly. He had to stop her from reaching out to him!

It was too late.

The vision came back again, repeating another time. The screeching tires returned, as did the smell of blood. Tsuna tried to get away from her, but his body felt as though he had actually been hit by a car.

The vision switched, and he saw the girl instead of himself lying in a pool of blood. Her black framed glasses was broken, the glass scattered across the ground.

" - kun! Tsu-kun!" he heard a voice call. _Okaa-san?_

He had to get it out. He had to. As if answering his internal plea, something slim was placed into his hands.

He let out a shuddering gasp as he shot up, his hand trembling violently. He moved the appendage in fast, hard strokes on a sheet of paper his mother placed for him. The charcoal in his hand trembled from the force, threatening to break. His eyes were wide and it was too difficult to move; everything had locked up except for his one, shaking hand.

"I - Is he okay?" the girl said quietly.

Nana smiled weakly. "He'll be okay, sweetie. Are you alright?"

The girl nodded silently. Tsuna dropped to the ground with sweat dripping down his forehead. It had been so long since he had a vision. Damn it...

"Okaa-san..." he said, his eyes closing.

Nana reached out for him but drew back her hand, knowing the consequences. She said in a soft voice, "I'm here, Tsu-kun. Don't worry. Mama will always be here."

Darkness consumed him and he welcomed the silence again. The tires' screech echoed faintly in his aching head. Then, the vivid red that had encompassed his vision was eaten away by the shadows of sleep, never to be again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I apologize for not posting this sooner. I was supposed to do it last night but my computer got all weird and I fixed it this morning - somehow. 0_0**

**Anyway, here is the newly written "The Weeping Shadow". Hope you all like! ^^ Although, I had to change the title around due to the "Title Error". Hope you guys won't mind. ^^**

**Yes, I changed Tsuna's ability a tad bit. Guess what I did! Although, it's obvious...I think.**

**That scene with Ken and Sophia are purely made up unless there is a real book out there with Sophia and Ken...0_0**

**Thank you for reading! I'll keep the original up if you want to see the changes that I've made.**

**See you in the next chapter! ^^**

**Edit 7/18/14: Again, many thanks to my beta LDK! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Many, many thanks to my wonderful beta: LDK**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 2<span>**

After Nana carried (well, dragged) Tsuna inside, she took a glance at the sketch that Tsuna had frantically drawn. She almost couldn't do it. It had been years since she last needed to bring her own unconscious son back to their home, while struggling to carry him up the stairs, and into his room. It was years since she had to deal with Tsuna's unique gift, or curse as you could see it. However, Nana kept a strong facade and did it. She did it. That was that.

"Miura Haru, right?" she said, placing the paper on the table.

The girl nodded, still slightly shaken from the previous. "Yes?"

Nana looked at the paper, drew a breath, and hesitantly slid it across the table. Her hand visibly trembled and she drew it back quickly, folding her hands tightly on her lap. Her eyes were downcast, unwilling to gauge the girl's reaction.

She heard the rustling of paper and a sharp intake of breath.

"Is this... Me?" Haru asked, softly.

Nana looked up with almost pleading eyes. "Haru-chan, please let me explain. It's - It's not what you think! Tsuna is a nice boy. He wouldn't do anything like that to you!"

Haru attempted a shaky smile. "It's okay, Sawada-san. Haru doesn't think Tsuna-kun would do anything like that. Haru was just - " She paused, trying to find the correct word in her scattered thoughts. " - surprised, that's all!"

Nana sighed in relief. "It's just... It's been a long time since this kind of thing has happened. I didn't expect this."

The girl stayed quiet, her eyes understanding. "Don't worry, Sawada-san. But please don't cry." A smile graced her lips, reassuring the miserable woman.

Nana never realized there were tears pouring freely from her eyes, wetting her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, but her eyes refused to stop leaking. With an aching chest and feeling heavily clogged, Nana placed a hand over her chest and her lips twitched into a sad yet sheepish smile. "I apologize. How embarrassing."

Haru reached over and held the older woman's hand. "A mother's love is the best love anyone could ever receive, Sawada-san. You're crying because you love Tsuna-kun, because you care. It's okay!" She grinned.

Haru nearly faltered, but kept up her bright façade for the mother sitting across from her. It really pained her to see Nana like this. The horrible tears reminded her of her own mother, but her mother's had been for something else.

_"Haru, remember this: you're a freak."_

She closed her eyes, willing the harsh memories to dissipate. Eventually, she cleared her mind of them but the pain lingered. Her pain, however, hardened her resolve to help Nana. No one should suffer, especially a mother and her child. It was her goal, difficult as it may be, to aid mothers and their struggling children. The nursery school was practically her second home.

"If there's anything Haru can do, Haru will do her best! You can count on Haru!"

"Oh, that's very kind of you but there's no need." However, Nana barely contained her smile at the girl's excitement. It filled her with a small flicker of hope, which was caged for too long.

"I don't need help," a quiet voice interrupted from the doorway.

"Tsu-kun!" Nana cried out, with a relieved smile. She ran over and moved in for a hug, but dropped them when her son flinched away. She continued to smile, nonetheless. "Are you feeling better? Do you feel pain anywhere? Would you like some aspirin?"

Tsuna shook his head, blinking groggily. "I'm fine." He directed his gaze at Haru. "I don't need help."

Haru matched his gaze and seemed to ponder over his words. She suddenly smiled and nodded. "I'm sorry. I sometimes get ahead of myself."

And just like that, Nana felt the whole weight of the world return to her shoulders. She knew it wasn't right to force her son to make friends, but she wanted him to be happy. Heck, any friend, the oddest friend even, and she would feel content. Knowing that someone was there for him. She couldn't stay here forever and the thought of Tsuna being utterly alone fear every day and night. Who would be there for Tsuna? How will he manage to live on in his life?

That blasted ability was the bane of Tsuna's life. It hindered his growth and provided him nearly no light for the future. She knew about the mafia and her husband's involvement. She had no clue as to how Tsuna was granted this curse of a gift, but she had her suspicions - and they all pointed at the mafia.

Her frustrated thoughts slowly turned into despair as the fear that resided in her head started to plague and take a hold of her mind.

Tomoko...Tomoko wouldn't be there for him. It was a terrible thought, but Nana knew inside that Tomoko would only walk on her path regardless. She was just like her father, aloof, solitary, and unreachable. However, she was still her child and she couldn't deny the love she held for her, even if the recurring thought was painful.

She wasn't religious, but she found herself praying to every single god out there just to watch over both of her children and to keep him safe. Inside, she felt terrible that she couldn't protect Tsuna like a mother was supposed to. All she could do was watch him from the sidelines - and that was something she didn't want to do.

"Okaa-san." Tsuna's voice gently brought her out of her thoughts, and she blinked to get her bearings.

She relaxed her face from its frown, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I was thinking."

Tsuna pursued his lips into a line, a disapproving look in his eyes. "You're going to get more wrinkles if you frown like that."

Nana laughed. "Don't worry about me, Tsu-kun. I'll be fine."

Her son glanced at Haru suspiciously before edging a bit closer to his mother's side, but not too close to touch. "You're not...freaked out or anything?"

Haru raised an eyebrow and held up the sketch. "This? Haru has seen stranger things than this."

Tsuna looked confused. "Stranger things?"

The girl nodded with a shrug. "Compared to this, it's nothing."

Nana was tempted to place a hand on Tsuna but willed the urge away. Her son stared at Haru for a few minutes before taking a seat, surprising the both of them.

"You should stay for a bit," he said slowly. "I hope I'm not taking your time."

Haru shook her head, knowing where this was going. "It's fine."

Tsuna drummed his fingers on the table and seemed to ponder, his eyes slightly vacant. "First grade. Everything went downhill from there."

Nana closed her eyes and listened to Tsuna silently. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

"We went on a trip to a local park," Tsuna said quietly. "I was in the front of the line since I was the shortest. My teacher was telling us the rules about crossing a street, looking both ways, that kind of stuff. When we were crossing though, I remember getting hit."

Haru gasped, her eyes wide. "Oh, my goodness! Haru is very sorry!"

Tsuna shook his head. "I don't need your pity. I just need you to listen. My teacher and a few other got hit, too. The others made it but my teacher and I didn't."

Nana tensed and the image of Tsuna bedridden flashed across her head. The doctors told her kindly that it was useless to further operate on him and that it was a lost cause. She could remember how much she cried that day - and that her husband wasn't there. Even Tomoko was a little stricken at the sight of her ghastly twin.

"But, you're here," Haru said, tilting her head in confusion. "How?"

"I remember a voice," Tsuna said, looking a bit puzzled himself. "It was strange since I knew that I would never wake up. It was a strong feeling and I remember wanting to sleep. But the voice told me not to give up, that it wasn't my time yet. It said that this was the last chance it was going to give to me and then, I woke up."

Haru's face was unreadable. She stayed quiet and Tsuna could tell she was thinking. It was peculiar and intriguing to see that she took it quite...well.

Tsuna looked at her calmly, knowing inside that she was fine with it. Call it a sixth sense, a part of the curse that he woke up to.

"I see," Haru said. "So you woke up with that ability and everything else is history."

Tsuna nodded. "Yeah." He raised a brow. "You're still fine with this?"

Haru grinned. "Haru's fine with anything." She looked at her watch and nearly screamed. "Hahi! Haru is late!"

She took her bag and slung it over her shoulder in a hurry. She bowed. "Thank you for having me stay here, Sawada-san." She held up the sketch. "Thanks for the warning, Tsuna-kun. And don't worry about it. Everything will be fine."

There was a joking edge in her voice but it wasn't mocking or cruel. Tsuna's eyes widened. This girl was just plain odd.

"Where are you going?" Nana said frantically. "You'll - "

"Don't worry about Haru!" the girl said cheerfully as she opened the door. "Haru will be safe!"

Nana opened her mouth to say something but Tsuna shook his head.

Haru waved and ran off into the streets, turning the corner. Nana, still concerned for the girl, was about to call after her but Tsuna said, "She'll be safe."

"How do you know?"

"I just do." He walked inside the kitchen and Nana heard him turn on the stove. "Don't we have a guest?"

She sighed before a smile graced her lips. Whatever it may be, every day was a new day. She might as well try to be the mother her children needed.

* * *

><p>His mother had insisted on making dinner by herself and shooed Tsuna out of the kitchen. He was reluctant at first but finally gave in, knowing that she needed time to herself.<p>

Tsuna went to his room, flipping through a sketchbook and feeling the smooth blank pages with his hands. He liked the feeling of fresh pages under his fingertips. It comforted him in a strange, but pleasant way.

He grabbed a pencil and flipped to the first page. Twirling the pencil in his hand, Tsuna felt his mind wander to today's encounter as he drew. Haru was an odd girl, but Namimori was filled with oddballs. Just Kasumi and Hibari, the latter being completely over the line, was evidence enough.

He leaned back on his chair and looked out the window, the sun slowly starting to set in the horizon. No matter what he thought of its people, he couldn't argue that Namimori was pretty to look at; probably because of its colorful sky. Then again, could the sky belong to a town? Its domain was endless, containing the heavens and dropping its light onto the grounds below. Either way, the sky seemed to emphasize the small beauty the town held.

A smile graced his lips. Poetry really wasn't his thing. He glanced down at the blank page and began to sketch, the lead gliding smoothly on the white surface. He first drew an oval as the base for the face and soon drew the neck, careful with the curves as he stretched it to form shoulders.

The doorbell rang in the hallway. It caused a shift in his thoughts, to his sister. Strange. Tomoko wasn't even back yet and it was already past six. Tsuna shrugged as he heard his mother open the door.

He strained his ear, curious as to who it was.

"Ciaoussu, Nana," a small, high pitched and overall young-sounding voice greeted.

Tsuna blinked and scratched the back of his head. Was he hearing correctly? Despite the baby-like voice, the person sounded sophisticated and almost… Intimidating, if that was possible from a greeting. He shook his head. Maybe it was just his imagination.

"Reborn," he heard his mother say. "Come in. I made dinner; you must be hungry from your flight?"

She sounded a bit tense, which was a huge contrast from her usual friendly and warm predilections in the presence of guests. Whether it be her gossipy friend Yuka or the almost always depressed Mitsu, she was pretty indulgent. What was it about this particular guest that set her off?

Either way, he didn't like it. He hated it when his mother seemed distressed, even though she tried to never show it. He stood up from his seat and took his gloves, slipping them on his hands.

He cautiously walked down the steps, not sure as to why he was doing so. Oh that's right, for his mother. The air was thick in the kitchen, and he had a momentary thought to go back to his room. He steeled what nerves he had (if he had any) and entered the kitchen.

There was a baby sitting on a chair with a fedora on his head. He was calmly petting what seemed to be a chameleon with his finger as Nana placed a plate of alfredo in front of him.

"Thank you," he said, tilting his hat.

Nana gave the guest a stiff smile, before looking up and noticing Tsuna in the doorway. She quickly walked over, almost covering him from view. "Tsu-kun, stay in your room, okay?"

"Why?" Tsuna said, confused. Why was she whispering? Who was this baby?

"Sawada Tsunayoshi," the baby said, sipping a glass of wine. Wine? This baby was drinking _wine_? "You can make decisions for yourself, can't you? You're old enough the last time I checked."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes as he peered over his mother's shoulder. "Who are you?"

"Tsu-kun," Nana said with almost pleading eyes, "please listen t -"

"Sawada-san!" a muffled voice called, from what sounded like outside the house.

Someone banged on the door. "Sawada-san?"

Nana looked horrified as she dashed towards the door. She let out a subdued shriek when she got there. "Kasumi! What happened?"

Tsuna flinched when he got to the door, seeing that Kasumi was covered in blood. She was trembling viciously with her hands clutched against her chest. Her eyes were frozen in fear and her legs finally gave out a second later.

Nana immediately kneeled down next to her. "Calm down, Kasumi. It'll be okay. Shh, it's okay."

She hugged the girl tightly in her arms, not minding the blood. Kasumi stared straight ahead, unseeing. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she attempted to speak. "T-Tomoko-chan...I have to save...Tomoko-chan..."

Tsuna stayed a good distance away, feeling rather awkward and a bit envious as he looked at Kasumi holding onto his mother. He tried to shake those incongruous feelings away.

_This is not the time for envy,_ he thought.

"Where is she?" Nana said as gently as she could.

"I - I have to… Help... Tomoko-chan..." Kasumi said again, her eyes vacant.

"Reborn!" Nana said in near frustration. "Do something! Find her!"

The baby didn't move from his seat and it, for some reason, irked Tsuna immensely. The brunette walked over to slip on his shoes.

"Tsuna," Nana said, her eyes wide. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find her," Tsuna said, opening the door. "I'll be able to find her."

"No! Let Reborn - "

"He's a baby. I don't expect him to do anything. I'll be back."

"Tsuna, no!"

He left, intent on finding his sister, letting his intuition guide him. Tomoko wasn't really the best sister, but she was still his sister nonetheless.

He ignored the small voice inside of him demanding he leave her to die.

* * *

><p>"Sawada Tomoko," a voice said.<p>

The blonde girl merely glared at the person, struggling weakly against the men's hold. Her hair was a mess and she was bleeding from a head wound. Her vision was a bit hazy, but she could make out the people in front of her.

There was a mix of men and women, all wearing suits. Probably about seven of them, including the two men holding her, were clustered in the dark room. It was large, nearly endless, and all she saw was shadows. There were several steel beams crisscrossing above her head and an old, rusty machine lying in the corner. Probably an abandoned factory in the Namimori slums.

A young woman walked out of the shadows, wearing casual clothing that clashed with the other people in the room. She had long black hair in a loose braid and her brown eyes glinted under the lights. She looked unexpectedly young for the aura of power surrounding her, looking to be in her twenties.

"Who are you?" Tomoko asked strongly, her voice void of fear.

"Miura-sama," a man said, holding up a file, "Sawada Tomoko is indeed this girl. What orders do you have for us?"

The woman dressed casually, yet so obviously the boss, smiled coldly. "Kill her."

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><p><strong>AN Many apologies for not updating it quickly! Prep has gotten in the way. TT^TT  
><strong>

**Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and support! Much appreciated!**

**Guest Review Reply to Yuki: Hello! Well, I'm sad to say that the other one won't be continued. I apologize if that offends you.**

**Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you can.**

**See you in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Un'betaed.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Tsuna was nearly out of breath once he entered the lower districts of Namimori. There were several homeless people and children sitting on the sides of the street; a few reached out to him, mostly children. He ignored them, but it left a small ache in his heart - there was also fear.

The grimy and dirty district was one of the things he avoided to venture in; the first and foremost was the small, illegally-run brothel just east of here. He wondered how they could stay elusive for so long under Hibari's watch. He shook his head. Now was not the time for that. Tomoko was in d -

His sharp ears picked up a loud, resonating gunshot up far north and his blood ran cold. He then broke into a sprint, the wind instigating adrenaline in his veins. Blood pulsed in his ears as he jumped over a stray garbage can and continued on his path towards the abandoned factory on top of a tall, lonely-looking hill.

He picked up several presences - and one of them was Tomoko, still breathing, still _living_. About twenty to twenty five people were inside. There were two who stood out the most: two strong auras of power.

Once he reached the doors, he noticed that they were hanging from the hinges, as if they were knocked down by an oppressive force.

" - traitor!" a voice exclaimed. It sounded like a young woman.

Tsuna dashed inside the factory and found his way through dark, shadowy paths. The railways were rusty and threatened to keel over, and a strong, unpleasant smell burned his nose. As he delved in deeper, his pace slowed down until he was silently creeping along the railways.

Honestly, he didn't know what to do. Should he attack? Nope. That was _way_ out of the question. He could only run, not throw punches and kicks. He'd probably end up convulsing on the ground and confusing the crap out of the men and women present.

That thought almost made him laugh though. Almost.

"Boss!" a voice said. It sounded like a young girl, probably about thirteen years old, which was strange. Very strange. "You bitch!"

"Lisa, calm down," a lax but strained voice said. A male this time, though his voice was a bit raspy both from the pain and something else. He couldn't quite place it. The guy sounded like he was in his teens. "Take Vongola away from here."

Vongola? What did that mean? It sounded foreign.

Tsuna crept closer to the railings and peered under a small hole. He saw his sister bleeding from a head wound but still alive. This somewhat relieved him, but a voice within him whispered that he shouldn't be.

It was a perplexing feeling. During his life, he had never felt anything but animosity towards his sister. It confused him, especially when it seemed to accumulate more hatred after his near-death experience. It was as if there was a separate entity living within him, a solid and tangible being residing within his own body - and it frightened him.

He resisted the urge to hug himself and angled himself to get a better view through the infuriatingly small hole. There were men and women dressed in black suits along with a young woman who looked about in her twenties. She looked familiar. He couldn't place it. There was something familiar about her appearance.

"Miura Koiso," a small voice said.

Tsuna nearly banged his head against the railing at the sudden statement. He looked around and found the baby from before sitting casually on the electric box.

"What are you doing here?" the brunet said in a harsh whisper, careful to stay quiet.

The baby's large black eyes morphed into something ominously frightening and Tsuna suddenly felt disturbed at how calculative the baby looked at him.

"It's simple," Reborn said, and left it at that.

Tsuna huffed. He froze when something was placed at the back of his head and a small click reverberated in the air. It was a gun. Kami, it was a _gun_.

"Move and I'll shoot your brains out," a man said in a monotone.

Tsuna raised his hands and noticed his gloves. Maybe... No. _No. _He wasn't that kind of person. Maybe they could talk it out. Maybe they could make a deal or be diplomatic about it. Since when did he pay attention to history class?

He stood up slowly and took a step back.

"Turn around."

Tsuna unconsciously disarmed the man a good arm distance away to avoid any contact and pointed the weapon at his stunned face. A sudden rush coursed through Tsuna's veins and he found himself _enjoying _it. The feeling of dominance and control, something he had never felt before, was as overwhelming as it was exciting.

There was a small drop of guilt in the corners of his heart but he brushed it aside, too immersed in the addictive pleasure.

The man stayed calm despite his situation. "Drop the – "

Tsuna pulled the trigger - and chaos erupted.

"It's from up there!" a woman shouted.

"Miura-sama, what do you want us t -"

Two gunshots rang in the air, causing Tsuna to snap back to his senses. The gun didn't slip from his hands though as he aimed it over the railings at the suited people. Several shots rang in the air but he wasn't sure which ones were his; they overlapped over one another, nearly creating a synchronized masterpiece of utter chaos.

A bullet nicked Tsuna in the cheek and he turned around quickly to avoid one getting into his shoulder. More bullets were shot at him and all he saw was Reborn watching him impassively from the same spot.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Tsuna said with a hiss.

"I'm only a baby," Reborn said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I don't think you can expect me to do anything."

Tsuna didn't know where all this was coming from: the rush, the excitement, the _pleasure_. It almost made him sick, but the control overshadowed everything. Heck, he didn't even realize Reborn was using his words against him.

Tsuna timed himself unknowingly and spun around, shooting more bullets at the enemy. He was careful not to shoot Tomoko or the seemingly good guys.

The young woman easily evaded his bullets until he had none left. She moved with grace and almost automatically; it reminded him of the way he moved with his sensitive senses.

The other girl, Lily, pushed a young teen guy to the floor as Koiso aimed her gun at them. Her eyes were cold like steel and it made a shiver run down Tsuna's spine.

"You had one job, Hayato," Koiso said, dragging Tomoko by the hair. She pulled the blonde up and placed the gun near her head. "Were the drugs not enough, you crack head?"

Tsuna threw the gun at Koiso's head but she merely moved her head to the side. That small moment of distraction prompted Lily to take a knife out of her pocket and fling it at Koiso's head.

Tomoko moved her head to the side as much as she could to avoid the weapon. Koiso made the mistake of looking back. The knife struck her in the eye and she screamed, dropping her hold on Tomoko, who turned around and kicked Koiso to the ground. Tomoko grabbed Koiso's fallen gun and aimed it at her until someone shouted, "Stop!"

Tsuna widened his eyes when he saw Haru come into view. She ignored all the dead bodies around her as she ran over to Koiso's side.

"Onee-chan!" Haru said, skidding on her knees to her sister's side. "Are you al - "

Anger burst into Tsuna's veins when Koiso slapped Haru across the face. Koiso ripped out the knife from her bleeding eye with a screech. She placed her hand over the bloody wound and stood up on shaky legs.

"You idiot!" Koiso said. "You're not supposed to be here!"

Oddly, there was underlying concern in her enraged voice. Haru smiled shakily as she supported her despite the other's reluctance. She looked at Tomoko whose hold never wavered on the gun.

"Haru is very sorry," Haru said, her eyes shifting to the ground. "This was only...a big misunderstanding. My sister would like to apologize as well though she won't say it directly."

"Oh, shut up," Koiso said, wincing from the pain. "I have nothing to apologize for." She glared at Tomoko with her one eye and it looked absolutely murderous. "Vongola _will_ fall."

Haru ignored her. "So please, move the gun - "

She shrieked and fell to the ground as a bullet pierced her leg. Tsuna ran towards the staircase, dashing down the steps.

He saw Tomoko's gun-wielding hand tremble almost wildly before Tomoko dropped it to the ground. She fell onto her knees, her eyes slightly wide. "I - I'm sorry. I didn't - I didn't mean to."

Koiso looked at her in stunned silence before rage took over her shaking form. "You _dare_ hurt my sister? All of you Vongola are the same! The damn same!"

Something struck her on the forehead and she fell back onto the ground, unconscious. Reborn hopped down all the way from his spot with a green gun in hand.

"Reborn," the boy called Hayato said almost uncaringly, "nice meeting you here."

He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket but Lily snatched them from his hand. The brunette glared. "Nuh-uh! You ain't takin' another smoke, I tell ya! I promised Bianchi!"

"You nag more than her," the silver-haired boy said with a groan. "Goddamn it."

Tsuna, meanwhile, was hovering anxiously over Haru. "Haru, are you okay?" He winced. That wasn't the right question, was it?

Haru clutched her bleeding leg but grinned nonetheless. "Haru will be fine. Though, can you call this number for me?"

She took out her phone and dialed a number, handing it to Tsuna with a shaking hand. He looked back at Tomoko who was still in shock and took it from Haru's hand.

He didn't question her whether to call for the ambulance. There was a sort of connection between them and he knew in his guts that it wasn't entirely necessary. He kind of trusted her in a way, if that made sense.

He placed the phone over his ear. It was still ringing until someone picked up.

"What is it, Haru?" someone said lazily. It sounded like he was chewing something.

"Haru is injured," Tsuna said, getting a nod from the girl. "We're in the abandoned factory downtown. Namimori."

The person sighed. "I'll be there." He hung up.

Tsuna handed the phone back to Haru who smiled. "Thank you, Tsuna-kun. You can all go now."

"But what about you?"

"Didn't Haru say it before? Haru will be fine!"

"But - "

"Tsuna," Haru suddenly whispered, "I'll be fine. I just...don't want you to look at me. Not like this. Please, leave."

Tsuna hesitantly nodded, unsure of what to do, before turning around and walking towards his sister. "Onee-san?"

His twin blinked and slowly regained her bearings. "Kasumi... How is Kasumi?"

"She's fine," Tsuna said. "Come on. Let's go."

He considered on helping her up but shied away from the notion. He glanced at Lily and Hayato and nodded gratefully. "Thank you for saving my sister."

Lily grinned with a thumbs-up. "Hey, dontcha worry about it! I like clams!"

Hayato lightly smacked her on the back and shook his head. "You brainless twit."

"Hey, I'm not the one who's a crack addict, ya know? Perfectly sane."

"Perfectly sane, my ass."

They were calm despite the situation that it slightly piqued Tsuna's interest; however, he knew that he couldn't say anything. Quite frankly, he didn't know what to say.

As they left the building, Tsuna looked back one last time at Haru who only urged him on with a smile. She cradled Koiso in her arms gently, whispering comforting words in her sister's ears. For a second, Tsuna saw him doing the same to his sister before he blinked the ridiculous image away. It wasn't possible. It will never be possible.

He closed the doors quietly behind him and, when he took the first step outside, a downpour of memories and emotions washed over him.

Hayato was walking casually down the path as if nothing happened while Lily chatted about nonsensical things. Once, the teen leaned down to whisper in the girl's ear and she giggled before they gave each other a high-five.

Tsuna knew what he said and it an unfamiliar feeling welled up inside him.

_"Hey, nice throw."_

He couldn't tell what the feeling was until he saw an ambulance on the street with his mother and Kasumi behind her. They ran towards Tomoko and hugged her in tears while he stood there awkwardly, disheveled with sweat and receding adrenaline.

He looked down at his bloody gloves and slowly brought up his arms to hug himself as tightly as he could.

Longing... It was longing.

_I'm lonely!_ a small part of him shrieked. _Someone, please! Hold my hand…_

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><p><strong>AN I apologize for the very slow update!**

**My beta is still not responding and I felt terrible to not post anything up for what? Two months? 0_0**

**Hopefully, I won't take long with the next one but I doubt it since school has come back.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you for reading!**

**See you in the next chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."_

- Hellen Keller

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 4<span>**

There was only one traditionally-styled house in Namimori, which everyone knew belonged to the infamous Hibari yakuza family. It was a quiet place and was located almost in the center of the small town. Quaint as it was, the house wasn't majestically tall or towering, which comforted the residents as it showed them that the Hibari household saw them nearly as equals.

Yes, the yakuza family swore to protect the place they called home. Why the people didn't know, but they had the imagination to conjure up some theories to sate their curiosity: a tale of forbidden love, descendants of the gods, the gods themselves. However, these weren't enough, yet the people were comfortable with that in an odd way. They knew within themselves that their questions would be answered one day in one form or another; now, they were just comfortable with the family's protection.

In fact, people used to pass by the house every day and take a peek through the small iron bars of the front gates just to see that it was only an ordinary house with an ordinary garden and an ordinary fountain. There were no gem encrusted doors nor large roofs made from gold. No. It was just an ordinary house with just the slightest bit of regal air.

Now, no one came to visit nor passed by to catch a glimpse of the swimming koi in the small pond, or to see the fresh yet lifeless water willows by the water, or the clean pathway that led to the front porch steps of the house.

What was once a lively abode became a sullen and morose place. Rumors spread that there were even spirits roaming about, but Hibari was quick to put those speculations to rest.

He placed the bowl of porridge on a small tray followed by a cup of warm tea and a kettle. He took a bottle of pills from the cabinets and carried the tray into the hallway. His footsteps were quiet and muffled from his socks just as he was; his lips neither moved nor uttered a word.

Once he reached the room, Hibari slid the door open and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"It's time to take your medicine," he said quietly.

"The chicks went cluck cluck cluck," a woman said from her futon, picking at the ground with her sharp nails; she gave no indication that she heard him. "They went cluck cluck cluck and soon went quack quack quack. All the chicks in a row and all the ducks in the sky. They just learned how to fly. Quack quack quack."

She looked up suddenly and then averted her gaze to the ground again while humming a sweet tune. "The sky is an ugly thing, an ugly creature. It goes cluck cluck cluck all day, all day. Dear, where is the path to the rosebush?"

Hibari knelt down on the ground and placed the tray beside him. "Eat."

His mother giggled and pointed at the wall across from her. "Oh, look at Rin-chan! Her dress is ugly ugly ugly. Dear - " She leaned up to whisper in Hibari's ear " - I saw her with The Man the other day. What a flirt she was."

Hibari ignored her random ramblings - he was used to them already and was quite good at not paying too much attention to them - and picked up a spoonful of porridge. "Eat."

His mother suddenly sighed and looked down at her twitching hands. She wrung them together anxiously while her eyes slowly traced the outline of the spoon. "Must I?"

Hibari gently placed a hand on her slouched back and lifted the spoon to her lips. "Do you want to see Fish again?"

Sen widened her eyes and shook her head rapidly. "No Fish. No Fish. No Fish. I almost drowned the last time and never got out. No no no. Fish had lots of fire. Fire is bad. No no no."

Hibari made sure she took every last spoonful of porridge. Her schizophrenia was manageable to an extent, but he could not be by her side all of the time.

Once Sen gulped down the last spoonful, she smiled down at the cup of tea. "Water is good. Water calms me down. Dear, where is the path?"

Hibari wiped her mouth with a napkin and took out a pill from the bottle. "Here."

Sen picked up the small capsule with curiosity and looked at it carefully from every angle, as if it held some kind of mystery or key to an unknown place in her own little world. "Dear, where is the path?"

"Take it," Hibari said, holding up the cup of tea for her to drink.

After Sen had taken the pill and drank the tea, she sighed again before mumbling, "Get away from Fish. The Fish. Bad Fish. No no no."

The doorbell rang. Hibari did not stand up despite knowing who it was at the gate. Instead, he sat there as Sen became comfortable in her futon. She laughed. "Chicks go cluck cluck cluck. Clocks go tick tock." Her brows creased together as she scrutinized the ceiling. She lifted her arm and traced imaginary circles and lines with her thin finger. "Dear, where is the path?"

Hibari gently pulled her arm down until it rested by her side. His mother turned to face him with her brown eyes. "Dear, where is the path?"

"You'll find it soon," Hibari said.

Sen smiled, a weary resignation befalling in her eyes. "The path is for two. Always for two. Never for one. Always for two."

"I'll find it for you."

She nodded as if that answered all the questions in the world. "Always. Never but always. Fish will never find me. No no no. Fire can never burn the rosebush. The path is always for two. Never for one. Always for two."

"Sleep." The command came out gentle, almost like a coax.

Slowly but eventually, Sen drifted off to another world, away from reality, away from the harsh tangible hand of her distorted life.

Hibari made sure she was fully asleep before kissing her softly on the forehead and leaving the room with the tray in his hands and the bottle of pills tucked in his pocket. "Sleep well, Okaa-san."

When he cleaned up and made sure the security alarms were in check, Hibari stepped outside and opened the gates, locking it behind him. "Herbivore."

The man outside took a slow drag from his cigarette and pushed off the wall. "Lower districts. Massive gun-shooting. Coming?"

Hibari scowled slightly. The lower-districts weren't a favorite location to him. In fact, he took personal rounds at night just to rein the idiotic herbivores in check. He had thought of getting rid of the people there once or twice (honestly, he thought about it more than that) but he knew that that would make even more chaos.

He refrained a sigh.

_"Remember, dear, our family protects the people. It is our job to help the weak and, hmm, maybe beat down the strong a peg or two."_

His lips twitched. His mother had an uncanny sense of humor.

"Hey."

Hibari glanced at the herbivore but didn't say a word.

"Want a ride?"

The prefect perused the chief policeman's car and weighed the odds. A three-hour walk or a twenty minute drive? Of course, ultimately, Namimori came first.

"Drive fast, herbivore," Hibari said, getting in the backseat.

"Yes, Your Highness," the herbivore said dryly, taking the wheel. "How's your mother?"

Hibari stayed quiet as he felt his house becoming more distant, until he felt its dreary presence no longer.

"That's good," the herbivore said, as if Hibari had responded. "Give her my regards."

And they left it at that.

_Mochida Ren,_ Hibari thought, his steely eyes on the man's turned head. His lips curled up into a small smirk as he closed his eyes.

_"A policeman with the yakuza? Ha! The world has turned under and over, didn't it?"_

Well, as long as the herbivore posed no harm to Namimori, Hibari didn't care. He just found himself alone again, in the center of the towering world above him. It was a wonder how he wasn't forced take it upon his shoulders.

But maybe, he already has.

* * *

><p>Everyone assumed boxing was life to him - it wasn't.<p>

Sure, he liked the rush and the bittersweet glory of defeating an opponent in a match, but in the end, he was never satisfied. He wanted more. He _needed_ more.

Ryohei threw a couple of punches in the air as he hopped back and forth lightly on his toes. The small rushes of air against his bare skin and the sweat dripping down his face made him feel lighter, almost like a god.

Adrenaline pulsed in his veins as he did a couple of uppercut sets and kept his body moving. God, it felt so good.

Soon he saw several crowds taking over the empty benches of the boxing academy and cheers slowly building up in his ears. A bell rang in his head and he threw a swipe at his opponent.

His opponent, tall and buff, dodged and lashed out with several punches to the chest. Ryohei ducked, dodged, and punched his opponent in the stomach. He slightly bent his knees and threw an uppercut. His imaginary glove slammed into his opponent's jaw so hard that his head turned wildly to the right and a snap echoed in the silent air.

Ryohei widened his eyes.

"Murderer," a voice whispered.

Soon, that voice grew into several others overlapping with one another. Soft yet loud, gentle yet harsh...

Ryohei shook his head before letting out a cry as he looked down at his dead opponent. His father was there instead, lying on his chest with his twisted head facing him.

"Murderer," he whispered.

Ryohei screamed and gripped his head tightly with his calloused hands. "I'm not a murderer! I'm a hero just like you said! A hero! I did it for you!"

"Murderer," his father whispered again. "Murderer. Murderer."

"No, no, no!"

Ryohei blinked hard before opening his eyes. The crowds slowly vanished in an eerie haze, leaving behind a desolate, dimly-lit room. In the end, he stood alone. There were no more cheering crowds, no bell to signal the end. There was only him in the middle of an empty ring. Only him...

Tears slipped down his cheeks no matter how hard he tried to hold them back and wipe them away.

"I'm sorry, Oyaji!" he cried. "I'm sorry!"

Ryohei fell on his knees as his chest ached. He banged his fists against the ground and the tears only came down harder. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

_What am I going to tell Kyoko?_ he thought. _God, what the hell am I supposed to tell her, Oyaji?_

Ryohei then vaguely wondered how many times he would be alone in the ring. He closed his eyes. He was tired of fighting, but he could never stop.

He was just tired of fighting himself.

* * *

><p>"Look, Okaa-san, I broke my arm today!" Merry laughter took over the silence of the hospital room. "Apparently, today wasn't my day."<p>

Yamamoto placed the flowers in his mother's vase and sat down on a chair. A gentle smile graced his lips as he fingered the red-pink petal of a striped carnation. "You know, the nice lady at the shop told me what these meant. Isn't it cool that flowers mean something?" His bright eyes soon dulled as he placed his chin on his arms. "Hey, Okaa-san, what does life mean to you? I don't remember what you said before." He chuckled almost bitterly. "I guess I was too young."

His only responses were steady breathing and the stable beeps from the heart monitor.

Yamamoto looked down at his cast, feeling numb. "If you were here with us, you would've raised hell on my teammates." He chuckled. "Maybe a few broken arms or something. I would watch."

He widened his eyes and nearly smacked himself. No. They were his teammates, not his enemies (Were they...?). He couldn't sink down to their level. His father told him to know better; his mother too.

Mocking laughter resounded in the back of his head before they gradually morphed into screams. Yamamoto immediately reached out to grab his mother's cool hand. He wished hard for her to squeeze back, to do something that indicated that she was still here. "Please, Okaa-san. I - I'm scared. I don't know what to do anymore."

He wanted his mother back, his wild, fun-loving mother. He didn't even know if he could go on anymore without her. His father was suffering, too. She was practically the glue that kept them all together. What would happen if she disappeared?

_No,_ Yamamoto thought, taking a deep breath. _You just have to be patient. Be patient. Be patient._

The door opened and one of the nurses came inside. Yamamoto never let go of his mother's hand.

"Yamamoto-san," the nurse said gently, "visiting hours are over."

"I know." His voice came out meek, before he forced on a grin. "I'll come back tomorrow!"

The nurse nodded before she frowned. "Ah, there are some people outside who wishes to see your mother. I told them that she wasn't available. I'm not sure if they're still there but I have a feeling they are."

Yamamoto's smile became even tighter. "I'll take care of it."

He gave a quick kiss on his mother's cheek before walking out of the room.

"Yamamoto-san?"

The teen turned around. "Yes?"

The nurse smiled. "Don't worry, Yamamoto-san. We'll take good care of her."

Yamamoto's smile became less strained. "Thank you."

With that, he left. The media never understands "no", do they?

* * *

><p>The Bovino Famiglia was a strong family - at least, that's what they thought. To Lambo, they were anything but strong. Mama told him being strong meant being able to do things yourself with the love and support from the people you love. His family didn't love each other.<p>

Lambo reminded him daily that he was strong, but that thought was nothing now, not after Mama died - No, _killed_.

The small boy shook his head from depressing thoughts. Mama told him to think of happy things whenever he felt sad; sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn't. He hopped down from his bed and peeked through his door. There was nothing but the soft thuds from the shoes of the bodyguards. It wasn't that bad. His whole family were heavy sleepers anyway.

He grabbed Bonnie, his stuffed cow doll, and quickly jumped under the covers. He carefully opened Bonnie's back with a quiet apology and a "It's okay. It'll only be Mama, Bonnie," and took out a tape cassette player. Once he was comfortable, Lambo pressed play.

His mama's soft voice soon enveloped the space he was in.

"The ugly duckling continued to cry, 'Where is my home? Where is my family?'"

Lambo clutched Bonnie tightly against his small chest.

"So he walked through the forest in the night, crying out to anybody who would hear him. Nobody did. Now, now, Lambo, don't cry." A gentle chuckle came from the tape cassette player. It was a little weak but Lambo loved the sound of it anyway. He always had and always will, forever and ever. That's what he promised Mama: to love her no matter what.

"Lambo-san isn't crying," the boy whispered with a hiccup. "Lambo - Lambo-san has something in his eyes."

"Now, Mama will continue, okay?"

Lambo nodded. "Okay, Mama."

"Does Bonnie agree?"

Lambo made Bonnie nod. "She does."

"Good. Alright then. Soon, the ugly duckling found himself in front of a lake. The moon was bright in the night sky and it shined down on these magnificent, beautiful birds. Oh, how the ugly duckling wished to join them in their wonderful dance!

'Oh, they're so beautiful!' The ugly duckling cried. 'But how can I be with them? I am ugly, just an ugly duckling.'"

"No one is ugly," Lambo whispered, remembering Mama's words.

"But one of the swans noticed him and flew to his side. 'Oh, come here, little one,' the swan said, spreading his wings. 'Come with us! Tell me, have you ever touched the clouds? Have you ever waved at the sun?'

The ugly duckling only shook his head. The swan was surprised when - "

Lambo quickly stopped the cassette and shoved it in Bonnie's back.

"Lambo?"

The boy sighed in relief. It was only Aunt Ottavia. He peeked from under the covers to see the large woman come inside the room. He smiled as she closed the door and came to sit next to him.

"Hi, Auntie," Lambo said, hugging the woman around the waist. The warm smell of bread drifted in his nose and he only hugged Aunt Ottavia even tighter.

They stayed like that for a while. Lambo liked it. He knew, in his heart though, that Aunt Ottavia could never be Mama. Still, he liked it.

"Lambo, I need you to listen carefully, okay?"

Lambo suddenly felt cold. "What do you mean, Auntie?"

Aunt Ottavia glanced at the door fearfully before digging for something in her apron pocket. Lambo gaped when she gave him a plane ticket. "You need to go to Japan. Get away from here."

"W - What? Why?"

"You can't stay here anymore. It's not safe. I'm so sorry that this just out of the blue. Ricardo will kill you. He's - He's - Look, Lambo. Lambo? Lambo?"

Tears spilled from Lambo's eyes as he shook his head. "No! No, no, no! Lambo-san doesn't want to go! Lambo-san want to stay here with Auntie!"

"Shh! Shh! Lambo, be quiet. They'll hear you!"

Aunt Ottavia covered his mouth but it was too late. The door was knocked down and Ricardo stood at the doorway with two guards by his side.

Lambo grabbed Bonnie with wide eyes. "P - Papa!"

"Ottavia," Ricardo said with a sneer. He raised his gun. "Just like your sister."

"My sister deserved bett - "

Lambo screamed when a shot rang in the air. Aunt Ottavia slumped to the ground.

"Now I can get rid of you, you little bastard," Ricardo hissed, aiming the gun at the cowering child.

Lambo grabbed Bonnie and took out the Ten-Year-Bazooka with a screech. He never knew what happened after that - he didn't want to anyway.

All he remembered was that it was cold, very cold.

* * *

><p>"Oh, that was easy."<p>

A teen girl skipped towards a tank filled with water, which held a boy wrapped in chains; her feet barely touched the ground. She twirled before tapping the glass with a smile. "Hello, little brother. Are you well? They took good care of you, I see."

Chrome laughed. Her form shifted and her normal attire replaced her lab coat. She twirled a trident in her hand. "You miss this, don't you? Come on, wake up."

She smashed the glass and the boy spilled out with the liquid. Chrome smiled pleasantly. "Wakey wakey." She lightly kicked the boy and then sighed. "Oh, dear. I have to do all the work as always."

She lifted his limp body over her shoulders and they both vanished.

"Don't worry. You'll have friends. You'll like them. They already like you anyway."

Chaos erupted in Vendicare after.

* * *

><p>"Sir, you can't smoke here."<p>

Gokudera blew a puff of smoke in response. He crushed the cigarette with his foot and walked away. "Sorry."

The hospital wasn't fun. Hell, this whole town wasn't the definition of fun. Though escaping Lily was fun. Gokudera scratched his head. She'll probably find him somehow one way or another. Well, she was called Bloodhound in the Underworld anyway. No surprise there.

Why the hell was he here anyway? Reborn. It was all because of that little overgrown prick of a man, baby, whatever. Arcobaleno? Gokudera scoffed as he took out another cigarette and his lighter. Skittles are more like it. He liked Skittles. He wondered if the hospital had any. Probably not. Maybe Lily could find some. Nah, he was too tired to ask.

"I found ya!"

Gokudera side-stepped when Lily lunged at him with a scowl. She tumbled on the ground and got onto her feet quickly. She pointed at the dispassionate teen. "I told ya to stay put and you go runnin' off like some animal! Also, this is no-smoking grounds!"

She snatched the lit cigarette from Gokudera's hand and crushed it with her hand.

Gokudera sighed. "Speak of the Devil."

"Uh-huh. Well, too bad. You called the Devil's best friend. Come on. The baby's waitin'."

Lily ended up dragging Gokudera back inside the hospital. She held up his lighter and three packs of cigarettes with a grin. "Ya won't be needin' these."

"Since when were you my mother?" Gokudera muttered.

"Oh, it ain't fun being one, that's for sure. Especially since you're the one I have to look after."

"I'm flattered."

"Shut it."

"No, really. I am."

Gokudera snickered when Lily just glared. Life wasn't _that_ boring, he could give it that.

Or maybe he was just high. Nah, he couldn't be. A day was practically his new record, but he was pretty sure he couldn't break the record again. Not for a while at least.

"Don't even think about it," Lily said. "I got rid of them."

Well... Goddamn it.

* * *

><p>A smile flitted across a white-haired man's lips. He leaned on his fist and hummed to himself. "Well, this is interesting. Very interesting."<p>

He stood up and suddenly the dark space around him was filled with light. He dipped his hand in a large, ancient-looking bowl. The water morphed, changing from Gokudera to Tsuna.

"An animal as always, Tsunayoshi-kun," the man said.

The brunet was sitting on a hospital bench with his knees tucked tightly under his chin. His lips moved but no words came out.

"Try to have a heart, Byakuran," another man said from his seat.

Byakuran just smiled. "Ah, but the game is starting." He looked down at his transparent hand and turned to face Tsuna again. "What will you do, Tsunayoshi-kun? How will you fare ill-prepared?"

* * *

><p><em>"Other things may change us, but we start and end as family."<em>

- Anthony Brandt

* * *

><p><strong>AN I'm sorry for the late update!  
><strong>

**Well, no more beta so I'll try to keep this story as consistent as possible. Hopefully, I'm doing okay. 0_0**

**This chapter might have been boring but I wanted to flex my hand at description (and prepare you guys for what's to come). Honestly, I'm only proud about Hibari's POV. XD**

**Oh, and I have taken a liking with quotes so expect a lot of them! I also altered The Ugly Duckling a little bit, which will be explained later, haha. Hope you don't mind.**

**Next chapter will focus more on Tsuna and his family. Slowly, everyone will be brought together. Not right away since, well, it'll probably be unrealistic, and they'll have their differences. ^^ll**

**Thank you for being so patient, my wonderful readers! Thank you for reading as well!**

**See you in the next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

_"If we are completely honest with ourselves, everyone has a dark side to their personalities."_

- Isabella Rossellini

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

The hospital was still buzzing with activity even after the chaotic mess of transferring Tomoko in. It was only a head injury, he remembered thinking bitterly, with a couple of bruises and maybe a cracked rib or two. It should've—_could've_ been worse. Tsuna had panicked at the word use, and even checked the bathroom mirror to see if it was really him and not him in some psychopath's body. At this point, he thought, anything could happen.

Patients wandered around in the halls; more people filtered in complaining about a sore toe or whatever medical excuse they had; doctors and nurses were talking with one another over clipboards and paperwork. Tsuna hated them, the patients. He hated how sick they looked, how pale they were, how some of them had barely any hair, how some smiled. He hated everything about them. And he realized that there was a lot of hate going around in his head, but he was too tired to contradict or filter out the thoughts. He was just tired.

_I killed people,_ he thought. The heavy weight suddenly came back as he realized what he had also done. _I killed people. I _killed_ them. Me. Dame-Tsuna. I killed them. I got a gun and I shot._

A shadow suddenly loomed over him. The smell of cigarettes and coffee wafted in his nose. Tsuna tensed. It was a middle-aged man with some semblance of a beard and a worn out suit. There were heavy bags under his eyes but there was an underlying sharpness in his gaze that unnerved Tsuna.

"Are you Sawada Tsunayoshi?" the man asked. "I'm Detective Mochida Ren from the Namimori Police Department."

"Yes," Tsuna said quietly. "Can my mama stay with me?"

The detective glanced at Tomoko's room before nodding. Tsuna quietly opened the door and peeked inside. Tomoko was awake, hugging Nana. Bandages were wrapped around her head while some of her minor injuries were tended to. They sobbed against each other's shoulders and didn't seem to be letting go any sooner. Tsuna gripped the door handle a little tighter before closing the door. His chest ached with words he wanted to say. He thought it was fair to say that he envied the physical contact. But Kami never really listened and he was still stuck with the curse. He didn't even have the time to process the anger or the bitterness as he sat back down on the bench. "She's sleeping," he said. "I don't want to bother her."

Even if the detective heard or not, he didn't press the issue. "You had quite a rough day, Sawada. I just want to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

Tsuna stayed silent. If anything, he edged away from the man even further and shoved his hands into his pockets. This time, Ren's voice was much gentler. "Can you tell me what happened before the incident happened, Sawada? Where you were?"

The events felt distant, as if they almost never happened. Tsuna took a deep breath to calm his nerves and focus. "I was at home with Mama. We were about to have dinner when Kasumi came. She was covered in blood and told us that Tomoko was kidnapped."

"Okay. How did you find your sister?"

"I just knew," Tsuna said lamely. "It's kind of a twin thing, I guess. I don't know how to explain it."

Tsuna had to admit though, it was kind of a bad answer. Well, it was technically true, kind of, he guessed. He did find her through intuition. Her location was a one in a million chance sort of thing. But...the detective wouldn't be able to understand that. He'd probably think he was a freak or a psycho kid or even the one who orchestrated the whole thing in the first place. It was practically a perfect scenario, the more that he thought about it. He didn't really like Tomoko—No, he despised her, wanted to—

Oh Kami, not again. Not again. Tsuna gripped the bench. He had to stop. He couldn't go on like this anymore. All this anger, all this hate, all these dirty, dirty—

"I see." Ren looked at him with an unreadable expression. "If you can, can you tell me what happened in there, at the warehouse?"

Tsuna snapped back to reality. "Ah, um, well, there were these people in there. One of them—I think she was the leader—ordered them to kill Tomoko. The events are still blurry, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Take it nice and easy. Do you remember anything else about them? Anything at all? Even the smallest detail can help."

"They—They did mention something about Vongola. I don't know what that is."

A dark look came over Ren's face but he managed to stay composed. "Alright. Thank you, Sawada. If you remember anything else, please don't hesitate to give me a call. I'll come back to get your sister's statement."

Tsuna nodded, hoping the man would just leave already. "Okay."

After the man left, Tsuna slumped in his seat with a heavy sigh. _That was something_, he thought. _I never knew that Mochida's dad worked in the police department._ He gazed up at the ceiling. _But there's a lot of things I don't know._

His ears perked up when the door opened. Nana smiled gently at him. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and she looked exhausted. "Tsuna-kun, Tomoko-chan woke up. Do you want to come in?"

Tsuna stood up and entered the room. Blue eyes met brown.

"Tsuna," Tomoko said. Her voice was small and tired, which was kind of weird because his sister always sounded firm and calm. She looked exhausted too. Her skin was a bit pale but she looked like she'd be fine.

''Hi," Tsuna said weakly. That was stupid. "Are you feeling okay?"

Tomoko didn't answer. A haunted look shadowed her eyes. She looked down at her white sheets.

"I'll be back," Nana said, taking some money from her bag. "Tomoko-chan said she wanted some soda. Do you want anything, Tsuna-kun?"

"Juice," Tsuna automatically said before blushing when Nana laughed.

"Okay. Sit tight."

After she left, an awkward silence passed between the siblings. Tsuna tried to make himself comfortable on a spare chair while avoiding Tomoko's furtive glances. He rarely ever had the chance to actually be alone in a room with his sister. Most of the time either one of them left before the other had the chance to settle in. Mostly they'd say that they had something else to do.

It was a strange relationship but when had his family ever made any sense? Their father was rarely in the picture. Sometimes Tsuna wondered if they'd be so isolated if their father was around. A nagging thought in the back of his head said yes. He didn't really know much about his father aside from the fact that he somehow managed to marry his kind mother. And he highly doubted that his father worked in an oil company. There were a lot of doubts he had about his father and he was pretty happy that the man wasn't around to be honest. He had a feeling that he would be around a lot of bullshit.

"Is Kasumi okay?" Tomoko's quiet voice brought Tsuna back from his swimming thoughts.

"Oh, um, yeah. She's shaken up but she'll be okay. She just left a few hours ago while you were sleeping."

"That's good."

Kasumi had fought tooth and nail to not leave Tomoko's side but her father managed to take her home. It wouldn't be a surprise if she managed to come again tomorrow. Tomorrow was Saturday anyway.

"Are you okay?"

Tsuna blinked. "What?"

Tomoko rolled her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I—I'm—" Tsuna could barely get the words out. What right did Tomoko have to ask if he was okay? Now she cared? Some part of him was just happy, so happy that he could just burst. His sister actually _cared_ about him. She cared for him all this time. All this time...

He clenched his fists. "I'm fine."

Tomoko raised a brow, something she could pull off very well. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Why do you care?" That came out much harsher than Tsuna expected but he couldn't stop. "Do you know what I did to help you? I killed people. I shot them."

Tomoko widened her eyes. Tsuna wanted to stop. He wanted to stop so bad. But this weight... He had to get rid of it. He had to get rid of it.

"I couldn't help it," Tsuna choked out. "There was nothing I could do. This man—He just came behind me. You were down there and I didn't know what to do. I shot people. I shot them. I killed them."

"Oh, Tsuna-kun." Nana's soft voice came from behind him, making him jump from his seat. Tsuna stared wide-eyed at his mother. His heart rapidly thumped against his chest. The weight seemed to get heavier and heavier each second.

"I—" Tsuna didn't know what to say. What could he say? Apologize? No, they were bad people, he rationalized. They were about to kill Tomoko. They would've probably killed more people after. They were gang-affiliated. They had guns. They sought out for blood. But they were people. And he killed them.

"Tsuna-kun," Nana said, taking a step closer. "It's okay, sweetie. You don't have to worry. There was nothing else you could've done. It's okay."

Tears trailed down Tsuna's cheeks. That didn't help. But those words, they seemed to have some effect. Because he was crying. The torrent of upsetting emotions that swirled in his chest was overwhelming, if not, terrifying. He slowly wiped away his tears. "I shouldn't have killed them..."

"Tsuna-kun, please—"

He could smell his mother's sweet fragrance. There was even a hint of soap. If only he could have her hug him, have her hold him. Maybe everything would be okay. But he couldn't. The brutal force of that reality struck him harder than it should have. He took a step back. "I'm okay."

"No, you're not," Tomoko retorted.

"Shut up!" Tsuna snapped. "It's all because of you! It's your fault."

"Tsunayoshi!" Nana exclaimed.

Tomoko looked at him uneasily. "Tsuna, calm down. You're not being rational."

"No, everything is your fault! If you hadn't been taken, I wouldn't be here feeling this—Urgh! I feel like I'm being torn apart and I don't know what to do!"

Tomoko glared at him, which only spurred Tsuna's adrenaline even more. "It wasn't my fault that I was kidnapped and it wasn't your fault that you had to kill those people! I'm sorry that you had to do that, I am, but I shouldn't be the one blamed for what happened. So sit down and shut up or leave."

Tsuna felt like someone slapped him across the face. He raked his hands through his hair before taking deep, shaky breaths. Did he say those things? No, it wasn't him...was it?

"Tsuna-kun, here, drink some juice and sit down." Nana pulled his chair over. "You're just very stressed right now. Take in deep breaths so we can talk about it more. We're here for you, Tsuna-kun. We'll listen."

Tsuna sat down heavily on the chair with his face buried in his hands. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Wait, Tomoko-ch—"

Tsuna flinched when he felt his sister's hand on his shoulder. Red bled into his vision and he fell over on his chair as something cold and firm wrapped around his neck. Hands. Someone was choking him. When he looked up, his blood stopped cold. He saw himself grinning down back at him. No, that wasn't right. Tomoko was being choked and—The assailant was him.

"—ere. Take it, Tsuna-kun!"

Tsuna snatched the pen from his mother's hand and tore away at the sketchbook she managed to bring with her from home. Dark rugged lines. Hands. Tomoko. Everything spilled onto the page before Tsuna leaned back against Tomoko's bed, heaving.

"Tsuna, what was that?" Even Tomoko sounded stricken. Of course, she didn't know.

Tsuna couldn't read the expression on Nana's face but he didn't want to know. He only looked down at his hands and vaguely thought of ways to get rid of them.

Because like hell he would find himself killing his own sister.

* * *

><p>Gokudera ignored the odd looks he received. He supposed that it was strange for him to just hang around the outside of the hospital. He didn't really look that welcoming to be honest. More like some punk off the streets. And he was fairly conspicuous with the tattoos that were inked on his arms and face. Well, he couldn't help that. Besides, he liked his tattoos. They deserved some recognition.<p>

"Hayato." The familiar baby voice of the feared hit man came from his right.

The teen smiled airily and raised his hand in a casual greeting. "Yo."

Reborn sat down next to him on the bench. "Where's Lily?"

Gokudera shrugged. "I sent her off to get something from the machine. It won't be long until she gets back." He draped his arm around the bench. "So, do you want a report?"

"I know what happened."

"Yeah, I figured."

"You'll be attending Namimori Middle on Monday. I want you to keep an eye on both of them."

Gokudera raised a brow but his face remained expressionless. It was a useful skill when dealing with thugs and street criminals. Stupid brutes. "Did the turd change his mind?"

"It's not an order from Iemitsu. It's an order from me. I suspect that Tsunayoshi has already awakened his Hyper Intuition along with an uncanny ability. I saw it firsthand when he met Koiso's sister, Haru."

"Kami, don't remind me of that bitch." Gokudera sighed. "I didn't ask to be invited to the party."

"You are part of mafia. No one cares what you want."

"Don't. I don't want to be reminded of my unfortunate roots. Anyway, what ability? Sky Flames already? Some fancy aerial tricks? Are hula-hoops involved?"

"No, but I believe it's connected to his Hyper Intuition. More like an unfortunate mutation. Tsunayoshi can see how people will die if they touch him. The only way for him to stop suffering from his visions is for him to draw what he saw."

Gokudera whistled lowly. "Poor kid. Makes me glad that I'm not part of the fucked up family-fest."

Something smacked him in the back of his head. Gokudera reached out and saw that it was a bag of Doritos. "Hmm, American. Nice."

"What did I tell ya 'bout cursin'?" Lily said, scowling at him.

"Thut up," Gokudera said, munching on handful of chips. "Anyway, keep an eye on the pipsqueaks? I'll do what I can."

"I'll make sure he does what he has to do, Mister Reborn," Lily said, nodding firmly.

Reborn just nodded. He hopped from the bench and walked towards the hospital's main entrance.

"And what are you going to do?" Gokudera asked, finishing his chips.

Reborn paused but didn't turn around. Heh. Cheeky little bastard. "It isn't your concern. Just make sure the brats don't get killed."

Gokudera shrugged. "I'm not a bodyguard. Just an observer."

"You are in the mafia."

"Yeah, no one cares what I want. I got it the first time."

Lily gave him a warning look but Gokudera could care less. He closed his eyes as he leaned back against the bench. Lily sat down next to him with a huff but didn't say anything. There was a moment of silence. Gokudera slowly relaxed, letting out a deep sigh. Suddenly, his head was on something soft. He opened an eye to see Lily blankly stare back at him.

"Yer neck would crack or somethin' if you slept like that," she said casually. "Just get a good shut eye. I'll keep watch."

Gokudera smirked. "Thank you for making me feel like a pedophile. I can finally be at peace."

Lily growled under her breath. "One more crap outta ya and I'll feed you to Tyrone."

"I'm going to sleep now."

Gokudera had a lot shit to deal with. He wasn't keen on having some rabid dog get thrown in the mix.

* * *

><p><strong>AN WAHHH! I'm so sorry for not uploading for such a long time. Thank you for all of your concerns and I apologize for not getting back on some of your PM's. I'm getting ready for college so life has not been kind. OTL**

**I wanted to post this yesterday as some kind of Christmas gift but my server went down. I hope everyone can forgive me! I'll be honest though. Because I haven't been exposed to the story so much, there's not much motivation in me to write but thankfully the whole plan is still mapped out in my junk of a head and I would never abandon my babies!**

**The updates will be slow though since school is being a bitch and all. But never fear! I'll make sure this story is finished and completed and laid to rest in peace! NYAHAHA!**

**Anyways, apologies again. OTL**

**Merry (belated) Christmas!**


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